


Father's Day

by kenshi_vakarian7



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Post-Canon, Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 10:00:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11056614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenshi_vakarian7/pseuds/kenshi_vakarian7
Summary: Cassie and Jacqui reminisce over their most memorable Father's Day with their Dads. While listening in, Takeda finds himself evaluating his relationship with his own father, especially over the last five years since their reunion.





	1. Johnny & Cassie

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written and posted on ff.net between June 16, 2015 to June 21, 2015.
> 
> This was just a little fun, three-chapter story that mostly served as a writing exercise for myself in between my other stories. Either way, I thought with some of the MK characters being Dads, this would be a good opportunity to write a Father's Day-related story centered around three of them and their kids. Enjoy!

_Los Angeles, California_

_Present Day_

A few weeks had passed since the Fallen Elder God Shinnok was defeated, and the world seemed to have already forgotten how close the realms came to total nothingness. However, it was an event that continued to linger in the minds of Takeda Takahashi, Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, and Kung Jin even as time moved on since those early morning hours at the Sky Temple. Still, life went on as the Special Forces team continued with other assignments, many of them involving typical routine missions given by their superiors in order to keep them busy for the time being.

It was the middle of June, and the four of them were finally given a week-long shore leave, something they'd been looking forward to for a while. Cassie and Jacqui decided to stay close to home while Kung Jin chose to head back to China to pay a visit to his old training grounds at the Shaolin Temple. He would return one day before they were to go back to their posts. Takeda wasn't sure what to do at first, but he eventually decided to stay in the United States to be close to his girlfriend, Jacqui.

On a warm, sunny Friday evening, a couple of days after shore leave began, the girls decided to stop at a shopping center, and Jacqui convinced Takeda to go with them. Reluctant at first, Takeda eventually gave in and went along with them.

Most of the time, the girls would shop around at girly clothing stores, and Takeda was thankful for the fact that Jacqui and Cassie didn't try to make him go into those stores with them... otherwise, it would've been very awkward for him. Either way, he still found himself carrying most of the girls' shopping bags, which seemed to increase in both number and weight every half hour or so.

_I guess that's what happens when you offer to carrying their bags like a gentleman,_ he thought.

As they walked around in between store stops, it wasn't very hard for Takeda to miss some of the advertisements in the stores involving special sales for Father's Day. At first, he didn't think much of it, only noticing that the signs made it clear that the annual holiday would take place in two days.

_I'm sure some people would forget otherwise,_ he thought with a little amusement.

"Oh yeah, I should stop at the card shop and get my Dad a Father's Day card," Cassie suddenly announced. Takeda managed to withhold his laughter, realizing that Cassie just proved his point over his last inner notion.

Jacqui chuckled. "Thanks for the reminder, Cass. That also makes me glad that I already got my Dad his gift a few days go."

"Same here. What did you get Uncle Jax this year?"

"Just a couple of boxes of _Punch Signature_ cigars and a brand new lighter since he lost his good one a few days ago," Jacqui replied. "What did you get your Dad?"

Cassie chuckled. "Not that I want to spoil my Dad or anything, but... a pair of gold fisticuffs that spell out the family name. I had them custom ordered last month."

"Nice!" Jacqui then turned her attention to her boyfriend. "What did you get your Dad, Takeda?"

Takeda shrugged in response. "To be honest, my Dad and I don't celebrate Father's Day."

Cassie frowned in reply as she didn't expect that answer. "Why not?"

Once again, the young man shrugged. "Well, five years ago, not long after our reunion and when I first came to the U.S., he mentioned that I didn't have to feel obligated to acknowledge the holiday, so... I just never did. He hasn't brought it up since, so even without reading his mind, I'm certain that still stands."

"I understand," Cassie mentioned. "That's how it was with my mother and I for a while after she and my Dad divorced... She said that a little card was enough. Now that I think about it though, I was more than happy to not acknowledge Mother's Day much out of some teenage rebellion. I did get her a new gun with a brand new holster belt this year, and she was really happy about that."

"Oh I always get gifts for my parents, even when my Dad and I weren't speaking much after I joined Special Forces," Jacqui said. "Though I remember when I was a little, I tried to grow one of those _Chia Pets_ plants for my Mom when I eight. It was the cat one because she loves cats. Anyway, the plants never grew by the time Mother's Day rolled around, and I remember crying because I thought she wouldn't like it without the plants growing. Instead, she laughed and told me she still loved it and that it was the thought that counts. I felt a lot better after that, but I never bought another _Chia Pet_ again. But what surprised me the most is that she _still_ has that figurine after all these years."

That made Cassie laugh. "That reminds me of one Father's Day when I came home from getting his gift. I caught him going through every... single... gift I ever got him, including ones from Christmas and his Birthdays."

That made Takeda's eyes widen in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah it surprised me, too." From there, Cassie went on to tell Takeda and Jacqui the whole story...

\---

_Venice, California_

_Three Years Ago..._

The shopping center in Venice had been busier than Cassie was used to, but she was thankful for the fact that she knew exact what store to stop in and what she wanted to buy. After getting the item and having it gift wrapped, she headed home to the beachfront condo her father owned.

"Dad!" the young woman called out as she entered the condo. She closed the door behind her before moving her sunglasses up to let it rest on top of her head. "Are you home?"

"In the kitchen!" she heard her father, martial arts actor Johnny Cage, exclaim.

Cassie walked past the living room and headed to the kitchen, holding one shopping bag in her hand. She expected her father to be either rummaging through the fridge in search for a snack, or preparing his famous 'Shadow Pancakes' for a late lunch... which would have been a shame for Cassie as she already made reservations tonight to his favorite seafood restaurant downtown. She didn't want him to spoil his dinner.

When she entered the kitchen, Cassie saw her father sitting down at the small breakfast nook in the corner of the room. A banana peel rested without care on the table, something that Cassie knew would drive her mother crazy if she was here right now. What was hard _not_ to notice, however, was a cardboard box resting on the chair next to Johnny, who gradually pulled out contents from within. He had a pleasant smile which seemed to grow fonder the more he gazed his blue eyes at the objects before placing them down on the table. It took a moment for Cassie to recognize the items; cards, trinkets, and hand-made goods she had given to her father as gifts over the years. Considering what today was, she wondered what was going through his mind right about now.

"Dad?" Cassie began to ask. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, not much, punkin," Johnny replied as he took something out of the box. "Just started feeling nostalgic and thought I go through this old box."

Cassie then recognized the next item that her father pulled out, and she chuckled with both amusement and embarrassment as she walked over to the table. "Oh my God! Did you actually keep that macaroni card I made you for Father's Day when I was five?"

"Yup," Johnny confirmed as his daughter sat down in the chair across from him. "Believe it or not, Princess, this box has everything you gave me for Father's Day, Christmas, and my Birthday." He smiled when he noticed another object in the box and pulled it out for Cassie to see. "Aw look, right here... _this_ is the first Father's Day gift you've ever given me. Well, actually, your Grandma Rose helped you with this since you were only a few months old at the time."

He put the item down in front of Cassie on the table; a circular white clay, long hardened, made into an ornament by attaching a thin, royal blue ribbon to it. On the clay was a tiny hand print with Cassie's name etched below it in script.

"I remember this," the young woman mentioned. "We used to hang it up on the tree every Christmas until a few years ago. Why did you stop?""

"Because you said that you were too old to have 'kiddie' stuff on the tree," Johnny pointed out.

That made Cassie scratch her head. "Oh yeah... during my 'I'm too cool for everything' phase."

"We all go through that phase," Johnny pointed out. "Heck, you Mom thinks I _still_ go through phases."

"I'm not surprised." Cassie then had a thought. "You think Mom has a similar box like this at her place?"

"She might," Johnny replied. "But that's something you would have to ask her."

"I figured." Quickly shaking her head, Cassie placed the shopping bag she had on the table before she gave her father a big smile. "Hey Dad, guess what?"

"Chicken butt?"

Cassie rolled her eyes at that, but she still chuckled. Even his lamest jokes could brighten her day. "Actually, I made reservations at your favorite seafood restaurant for tonight. They have an awesome Father's Day Special on steak and lobster along with endless shrimp... ooorrrr we could get those bucket specials with clams, crab legs, corn on the cob, you name it."

That made Johnny beam with delight. "I admit, I was secretly hoping you'd take me there tonight." He leaned forward to give his daughter a quick kiss on the side of her head. "Thank you, Princess. I couldn't ask for a more epic dinner plan."

"That's not all I got," Cassie said as she pulled out an object from her shopping bag before setting it down on the table. "I also got you this."

Johnny gazed his eyes at the rectangular-shaped object in shiny, royal blue wrapping paper accompanied with a black ribbon and a small card. Reaching his hand to the card, he opened the flap to read the simple words; _To Dad, Love Cassie._ Next to Cassie's name was a hand-drawn heart with a smiley face in the middle of it.

"Do you want me to open it now?" he asked.

"No, you're never allowed to," Cassie said sarcastically, but with good humor at the same time. "Of course I want you to open it now."

Johnny chuckled. "Just making sure," he said as he removed the ribbon and card before tearing through the wrapping paper. Underneath the paper was a black velvet box. At first, Johnny wondered if there was jewelry within, but other than that, he didn't think much about what was inside as he opened the box.

At first, Johnny didn't say anything, which made Cassie worry over whether or not his liked the gift. With a weary smile, she asked, "Well? Do you like it?"

"Like it?" Johnny questioned almost seriously. Before Cassie's smile faded, the actor beamed again. "I love it! I was just thinking, however..."

Cassie tilted her head head when he didn't finish. "What?"

"How did you afford this brand of sunglasses? Last I checked, they were over five-hundred dollars."

Cassie smirked as she learned back into her chair. "Remember how I was trying to save my money for those sneakers I saw down at the mall in Beverly Hills a few months ago?"

Johnny knew what she was talking about. A few months ago, Cassie was raving about the pair of _Maison Margiela_ low top sneakers she saw displayed at the front window of a highly expensive store, but didn't have enough of her own money to get them on a whim. Johnny had wanted to spoil his only daughter and buy the sneakers, but at the same time, Sonya wanted Cassie to learn to work for what she wants in the hopes of instilling a sense of accomplishment once she was able to afford what she wanted with the money she earned. So he went with the latter route, knowing that it would be good for his daughter in the long-run.

Cassie, of course, wasn't happy about the arrangement at first, but she wanted those sneakers so badly that she was willing to work for them. Johnny had her do simple chores around the condo and would give Cassie her payment at the end of each week. He almost expected her to stop the routine after only a couple of weeks, but the more time passed, the more he realized how determined she was to get those sneakers.

So for her to hint that she used the money to buy him sunglasses for Father's Day instead was not only a surprise, but one of the most touching things anyone has ever done for him in a long time.

"You... you didn't?" Johnny uttered, wanting to make sure that his assumption was correct.

Cassie smiled and confirmed his suspicion with a nod. "Well, aside from the fact that I realized after all this time that I don't need those sneakers..." She pointed at the old gifts her father placed on the kitchen table. "All these gifts were either hand-crafted projects from school, or items family members helped me buy, like... eh..." Cassie unfolded a white t-shirt she found on the table, soon noting the long-worn faces belong to three men named Moe, Larry, and Curly. She tilted her head as she raised an eyebrow. "This t-shirt Mom helped me buy for you when I was ten years old."

Johnny laughed at that as he placed the sunglasses down and took the shirt in his hands to fold it back up. "Yeah, I remember that. I recall your Mom wasn't too thrilled about helping you buy that shirt. Still, I was going through a _Three Stooges_ phase at the time... I was so happy when you got me this."

"Well, you did wear it a lot for a few years, that's for sure."

"I should wear it again someday," Johnny mentioned as he put the shirt down.

"But anyway," Cassie proceeded. "The point is that after all these years, I realized that I've never actually got anything for you with my own money, even after all the times you've done that for me. So I decided that instead of spoiling myself, I'm going to spoil you... and I promise that this won't be the last time." She then leaned forward to give Johnny a quick peck on the cheek. "Happy Father's Day, Dad."

For what seemed like a minute, Johnny didn't say anything as he stared down at his new sunglasses, and it was hard for Cassie to guess what he was thinking in that moment. She became even more confused when he placed the sunglasses back in its case before closed it, and placed it amongst the items on the table as though he was adding it to his collection of gifts his daughter gave him over the years.

Before his daughter said anything, Johnny finally spoke up, his voice filled with awe and sentimentality. "That... those words... they... that's the best gift a Father could ask for. You've really grown up and I... I can't even begin to tell you what your words meant to me... Thank you, sweetheart."

Cassie smiled. "Not to break the sentimental mood, but... you're not going to start crying, are you?"

"Oh!" Johnny called out as though trying to get his bearings. "Actually, I'm pretty sure there are some ninjas around here somewhere... hiding... cutting up some onions..."

"Riiiiight, Dad. Just know that if you start crying, I'm going to start crying, too."

"I know, punkin." Still, Johnny took a finger to wipe the corner of his eyes, but it was hard to tell whether or not he actually was wiping a tear. After that, his face perked up. "Say... since you plan to further spoil me, I know what more you can do today."

"How?"

"When we go to the seafood restaurant, we're going to put on some bibs and order the bucket meals... crab legs, oysters, you name it, with lots of butter, and smash them open with those hammers. After that, we're going to go to the grocery store, buy the biggest buttercream cake we can find, and the both of us are going to eat the whole thing. Sound like a plan?"

Cassie laughed, already looking forward to spoiling her Dad more. "That's an awesome plan."


	2. Jax & Jacqui

_Los Angeles, California_

_Present Day_

"Aww, that's so sweet," Jacqui cooed after Cassie finished her story. By then, the two of them, along with Takeda, entered a card store and began their search for the perfect cards for their Dads. "That sounded like it was the best Father's Day you ever gave him."

"I think it was," Cassie agreed. "And I'll tell you... I've kept that promise of spoiling him with my own money ever since."

"Well... yeah of course you did, especially considering those gold fisticuffs you ordered him this year a month ahead of the holiday," her best friend pointed out.

"Have you every got your Dad anything crazy like that?"

"Not really," Jacqui replied. "I should one year, but you know how he prefers modest or practical gifts."

"I wonder, Cassie," Takeda spoke up just as the girls began skimming through the cards. "Did you and your Dad ever finish that buttercream cake he wanted you to get on that same night?"

Cassie laughed. "Nope! We only had one slice each because we were so stuffed from dinner. I ended up letting him finish the rest, and that took a few days to accomplish from what I remember."

Cassie ended up reading the front of a humor card she found amongst the shelves. She noted that there was a sound card in between the folds of the cardboard... she just didn't expect it to make loud, farting noise upon opening the flap to see what the inside said. Cassie didn't have to turn her head to notice the strangers in the store staring in her direction and she groaned in embarrassment.

"Eh... not this one," Cassie grumbled as she put the card back on the shelf.

"Why not?" asked Jacqui. "I thought your Dad likes fart jokes."

"Yeah, but... even I thought those jokes were gross when I was a kid."

Jacqui nodded as she picked up a card from the shelf to look at. "Yeah, same here. Actually, that's one type of 'joke' I'm glad my Dad didn't pull while growing up."

"Does he even pull any jokes?" Takeda ended up asking. "No offense, but he doesn't seem like the type who does."

"Once in a while, he does," Jacqui answered as she read the front of the card. "You know his demeanor... always serious. But sometimes he can surprise you with a one-liner. However, if you say something like 'I'm freezing cold,' don't expect him to respond with, 'Hi Freezing Cold, I'm Dad!'"

"Oh jeez, my Dad _still_ pulls those 'Dad jokes' crap!" Cassie mentioned with a roll of her eyes. "It drives me crazy."

Takeda ended up chuckling at a thought. "You know... that just made me realize that my own Dad has a pretty good balance when it comes to joking and being serious."

"Does he pull off 'Dad jokes,' too?" asked Jacqui. After reading the inside of the card she picked out, she decided to go with it and pulled off an envelope from the shelf to put the greeting in later tonight.

"No, but he does pull off one-liners quite often."

"Apparently, you can blame my Dad for that," Cassie mentioned. "My Mom claims that my Dad rubbed off on him over the years."

"That doesn't surprise me," Jacqui chuckled. She then changed the subject. "Hey Cassie, are you almost ready?"

"Wait," Cassie said as she found another card to look at. She took a moment to look through it before finally making a decision. "Okay, let's pay and go."

The three headed to the line towards the cash registers. At one point during their wait, Cassie's phone went off, indicating an incoming call. Taking it out of her pocket, she looked to see who it was.

"Hmm," she hummed. The blond-haired soldier then pressing a button to answer the call before bringing it to her ear. "Mom? What's up?"

As Cassie talked on the phone, this gave Jacqui the chance to mention what was on her mind since the subject of Father's Day was brought up. "You know, I was thinking," she began as she took a step closer to her boyfriend. "I know you said your Dad mentioned that you didn't have to feel obligated to get him a gift, but..." The young woman sighed then, unsure how to word her thoughts correctly. After a few moments passed, she ended up saying, "I... I'm not trying to push anything-"

"I know you aren't," Takeda replied and assured her that it was okay by placing a hand on her shoulder. "And I know what you're suggesting, but seriously, it's fine. If anything, we'll probably spend the day training, unless General Blade sends him out on a mission beforehand."

Jacqui chuckled. "But you two _always_ train during downtime."

"What's wrong with that?" the young man asked, giving her a bemused smirk.

"Oh, nothing at all! I just thought maybe for that day, it could be a little... I dunno... different?"

"Like getting him a gift?"

"Well... only if you want to." Feeling somewhat anxious suddenly, Jacqui rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm sorry, Takeda, I'm _really_ trying not to push the issue. I just, well... I guess it's because your Dad was always nice to me ever since I joined the military and... well... as I mentioned before, even when _my_ Dad and I weren't speaking much after I joined against his wishes... well... um..."

A sigh escaped Takeda's lips as he moved his arm so that it wrapped around Jacqui's shoulders before pulling her close to him. "I think I might know what you're getting at... you think he might feel a bit left out in two days compared to your Dad and Mr. Cage."

Jacqui's eyes widened at that, realizing that he said exactly what she was trying to get at. "Well... in a way..." she ended up saying.

Takeda kissed the side of her head. "Seriously, Jacqui, it's okay. Like I mentioned before, he said that I'm not obligated to acknowledge the day. If that's something that _he's_ okay with, then it's something that doesn't need to be worried over."

After briefly thinking over it, Jacqui gave him a nod. "Okay. Again, I'm sorry I brought it up-"

"Don't be," Takeda quickly assured her. He then thought of something. "It's strange though... I would've got mad, or at least annoyed, if we were having this conversation five years ago. It's..." He shook his head a little, but smiled at the same time. "All those years before our reunion, I probably could've gone the rest of my life without knowing him, and I would've been fine... very resentful, but fine."

"And now?" Jacqui asked curiously.

Takeda sighed. "And now... it amazes even _me_ to consider him my best friend these days..."

At that moment, before Jacqui could respond, Cassie had finished her conversation with her Mom and pressed a button on her phone to end the call. "Welp! Mom invited me to have dinner with her tonight."

"You sound shocked," said Jacqui. "Are you?"

"Sort of," Cassie mentioned. "Only because I was so sure she was going to call and end our shore leave with a new mission that can't wait." She sighed a little. "I feel bad about the thought now. I guess after all these years, I still expect the worst whenever she calls my phone."

"But at least you'll be pleasantly surprised when the opposite happens," Takeda pointed out. "I bet that's the case right now."

Cassie laughed. "Yup, you're right."

Soon, they reached the end of the line and the girls paid for the cards. Once that done, they all began to leave the store. As they did, the three of them suddenly heard arguing nearby. Turning their heads, they saw a middle-aged man arguing with a girl who couldn't be more than fifteen years old.

"No, you're not going out to the beach after sunset with your friends tonight!" the man balked.

"Why not, Dad?!" the young girl moaned.

"Because you're too young, and last I checked, there would be no adults there! Unless there's adult supervision, the answer is 'no,' and that's final!"

Clearly displeased, the girl clenched her fists at her sides. "You never let me do what I want!"

None of the three stayed to hear the rest of the conversation and started walking away from the scene.

"Boy, I remember those days," Cassie mentioned once they were far enough away from the strangers. "Mostly between my Mom and I, but it's happened between my Dad and I, too."

"That's almost hard to believe," Takeda admitted, scratching his head.

Cassie shrugged. "It may be, but... let's just say he got a bit _too_ worried when I started dating."

"You know," began Jacqui. "That reminds me of one Father's Day that happened when I was about thirteen years old."

Cassie raised an eyebrow, perplexed. "The verbal fight we just walked by _reminded_ you of that?"

Jacqui shrugged a little. "Well... my Dad and I actually had a fight somewhat similar to that two days before. I'm sure you remember what life was like when we were young teenagers, Cass. We were at that age when we started to get interested in boys and wanted to hang out with our friends more than being at home because we considered the latter 'uncool' to us."

Cassie snorted with amusement. "Boy do I know it!"

"Anyway, I wanted to go with some friends from school that night to the movies... I've long forgotten what movie it was, but yeah, Dad wouldn't allow it because he didn't trust anyone who would be going with us only because I thought it didn't matter whether or not my parents met them as long as we were all in the same school together. Silly thirteen-year-old me underestimated my Dad that day. He went off like a bullhorn the second I brought it up. I tried to reason with him, he wouldn't budge, and we ended up in a shouting match. Mom stopped the fight before it got worse, but I remember being so mad at him that I didn't bother to speak to him at all between that moment and through the next day. You can imagine how awkward the dinner table was for the next two nights. Good thing that table was small or else we would've spoke to each other through Mom with things like, 'Tell _Dad_ to pass the butter,' or 'Tell _Jacqui_ to pass the gravy.' Though thinking about it now, I'm certain Mom wouldn't stand for it for more than a minute."

"What happened after?" asked Takeda. "I mean, when Father's Day came."

In her mind, Jacqui could remember that day clearly as though it happened yesterday. "Well, it's a funny thing... I went into the weekend thinking that Sunday was going to be the _worst_ Father's Day ever. I couldn't be more wrong, especially after I started to see things from his perspective for the first time in my life..."

\---

_Meridian, California_

_Eleven Years Ago..._

Coming down the stairs from her bedroom after getting her weekend homework done, Jacqui was surprised when she saw her mother, Vera, sitting in the living room on the settee reading a book. It was late in the afternoon, and it was around this time when her mother usually began cooking dinner. At first, she figured maybe she was baking a one-dish casserole, but the fact that there was no smell of cooking food in the air clued her in otherwise.

"Mom?" the young girl began. "Aren't you going to cook dinner?"

"Not today, sweetie," Vera informed her, not looking up from her book. "We're going to leave in a couple of hours to eat at _Frank's Grill_ for Father's Day."

Jacqui frowned. "I see..." The young girl folded her arms in front of her. "If it's okay, I'd rather _not_ go to dinner tonight."

Vera chose that moment to put her book down on her lap to gaze over at her only child. "And why not?" she asked, keeping her voice neutral.

"Because why should I?" Jacqui began angrily. "Dad _never_ lets me do what I want! I wanted to go to the movies with my friends from school! Just because he never met them-"

"He's just trying to-" Vera began to say.

"What? Protect me? I don't _need_ to be protected!" Jacqui exclaimed. "I bet if I had a brother, Dad would let him go out whenever he wants with whoever he wants whether you met them or not!"

"You don't know that-"

"So why should I _have_ to go out to dinner? Because it's Father's Day? As far I'm concerned, he can take this day and sh-"

" _Jacqueline Sonya Briggs_ , watch your mouth!" Vera called out sternly. This always, without fail, silenced Jacqui, and the young girl immediately felt bad about what she almost just said.

Jacqui unfolded her arms and lowered them on either side of her, feeling defeated. "I... I'm sorry, Mom," she stammered as she felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She managed to hold them back, refusing to shed them. "I'm just so mad, I... I didn't mean to..."

"Look, Jacqui," Vera began as she stood up from the blue settee and began walking towards her daughter. "I know you're mad that you didn't get to go out with your friends this weekend. You were looking forward to it all week. But you have to understand that the reason your father didn't want you to go was because you were going with people who he _didn't know_. It doesn't matter whether they're from school or not. He tried to tell you that, but you wouldn't listen to him."

"But why should I _have_ to introduce them to him?" Jacqui asked. "My friends never introduce me to _their_ parents and they have no problem with us going out. Why is that?"

"Because not every parent takes the time to check in to see who their children hang out with," Vera mentioned. "And sometimes, not checking in could lead those children into the wrong crowd. Sometimes, things won't go wrong, but sometimes they do..."

"But my friends are nice and respectful... and none of them drink or do drugs or-"

" _You_ know that," Vera pointed out. "And that's fine. But your father and I _don't_. And that's only because we've never met them. I know it might not seem 'cool' for you kids to meet the parents, but trust me when I say meeting your friends and getting to know them will make _us_ feel a lot better. If we know who you friends are, then we won't worry about you as much when you leave the house hang out with them whether is at their house or at the movies."

Jacqui frowned as she began to understand where her parents were coming from. In her mind, she was already berating herself over letting her argument with her Dad escalate as far as it did. If she had listened to him in the first place, then maybe she could've found a way to arrange having her friends over the next day instead of sulking in her room in between chores and school homework.

"And what if Dad doesn't like them?" Jacqui ended up asking with worry.

"If they're as nice and respectful as you say they are," Vera mentioned. "Then you have nothing to worry about. They sound like the kind of people you're father and I would love to have here once in a while. If you like, I can even go up to the attic and check to see if that projector still works. That way, when you're ready to invite them over here, you and friends can settle on the haystacks with some blankets out back and watch a movie on the barn wall like we used to do when you were little."

Jacqui ended up smiling, liking her mother's idea. "That... sounds good. As long as you bake your awesome apple pie for everyone to try after the movie's over."

"Of course I would," Vera replied. She then turned and began walking through the living room before reaching her hand to one of the side table draws. "Well then... that settles one problem. Now to resolve another."

Jacqui frowned. "I assume it's about Dad..."

Vera nodded as she pulled the draw back. "He didn't say anything all day to me about it, but... I have a feeling he's hoping that you would talk to him before the day's over."

The young girl nodded. "I can do that... let me go upstairs to get the card I got for him-"

"Wait!" Vera called out as she pulled an object from the draw. "You can give him the card at dinner tonight. Give him this for right now." She extended her arm out, and Jacqui saw that it was a box-shaped item that just covered the palm of her mother's hand. Whatever it was, it was already wrapped with green wrapping paper.

"What is it?" Jacqui asked.

Vera smiled. "How about you both be surprised. He'll know I bought it, but... just say it's from you, or both of us at least. He's out at the barn fixing up that red tractor he just bought a couple of weeks ago."

It was Jacqui's turn to smile. "Okay," she agreed as she took the gift in her hands. "Thanks, Mom."

From there, she left the house through the front door and headed to the barn outside. The old barn, it's red paint fading, was located on the left side of the house about fifty yards away. It was where her father would fix up any farming equipment he obtained, a place she understood it to be solace to him.

Even before she reached the barn's opened double doors, Jacqui could hear the tinkering sounds of tools at work. Reaching the entrance, she found her father working on the old, red tractor. Currently, he was using a wrench to tighten a brand new bolt into the machine.

Former Special Forces Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs always put in a hard day's work on the family farm. Though all three members of the Briggs clan cared for the animals, as well as the apple orchards and vegetable garden behind the house each day, Jax's specialty was fixing up old farming equipment to the point of making it a hobby for himself. Sometimes, he would buy useless machines for almost nothing and rebuilt it to make it seem like it was brand new before selling them to other farmers. And sometimes, he would take the equipment he did own and tinker with them to see if he could improve their mechanics.

Jax hadn't noticed his only daughter right away. The tinkering noise concealed Jacqui's footsteps as she approached the doorway to the barn's entrance. While he was still unaware of her presence, Jacqui made the decision to keep his present hidden behind her back, holding the object with both hands.

Eventually, Jax stopped what he was doing once he was satisfied with how secure the bolt was. Stepping back from the tractor, he finally noticed someone standing by the doorway from the corner of his eye. He turned his head to the right and noticed Jacqui standing there with her hands clasped behind her back. For a moment, the two stared at each other in silence with Jax giving her a neutral glare. Jacqui supposed it was better than seeing a scowl on his face.

"Hi Dad," she soon greeted timidly.

The young girl waited as Jax walked over to his tool bench to hang up the wrench on the wall above it. It wasn't hard to notice Jacqui's most recent school picture posted on one of the barn's support beams right next to the bench. She took it as a good sign. He clearly wasn't angry enough with her to take the photo down... not that it's ever happened before, but it has crossed her mind a couple of times before after being grounded to her room when she got into enough trouble growing up.

"I thought you were mad at me," the older man mentioned nonchalantly.

Jacqui frowned. "I... was..." she began to say. "But I... realized after something thinking that I've been... well..."

"Immature?" Jax finished for her.

Jacqui shuddered at his response, but nevertheless, she nodded. "Yeah..."

She heard her father took a deep breath as he rested his mechanical hands on top of the bench before leaning forward. "Listen, Jacqui," he started. "Just because I didn't let you go out the other night, that doesn't mean I'm trying to bar you from having a life outside of school and the farm."

"You're trying to protect me... I know."

"It's not just that," Jax explained. "What I was trying to explain to you that day was that most of the people you mentioned... well... you _say_ that you know them..."

"But _you_ don't know them like I do," she finished.

He nodded. "Exactly."

"If it'll help, I'll invite them over one day to hang out so you and Mom can meet them. I only realize now that this was what I should've done to begin with instead of just assuming and... I'm sorry..."

Jax was silent for a moment before finally nodding and straightened himself back up. "That's acceptable. But remember, if they give me any reason to not like them..."

"I know," Jacqui sighed. "But it'll be okay, Dad. They're good people, I promise."

"I hope so." Jax then turned so that he fully faced his daughter. "While we're on the subject, I..." He began to rub the back of his neck. "I want to apologize, too."

Now _that_ caught Jacqui by surprise. As far as she could remember at the moment, this was the first time her father apologized to her over anything involving their disagreements.

Before she could reply, Jax proceeded as he began to pace around the barn a bit. "I should've been calmer about the whole thing instead of just blowing my top off. Guess it's because you caught me at a bad time when you attempt to ask for my permission to go out that afternoon."

"What happened?" Jacqui asked curiously.

"Nothing _too_ bad," Jax mentioned. "But I spent all day trying to fix that damn engine in this tractor, only for it to almost blow up in my face and spew oil all over the place. I just finished cleaning up when you came in and, well... you know... but just to be clear, I still would've said no regardless, _but_..." He seemed to frown a bit with disappointment. "Maybe, just maybe our fight wouldn't have been as bad as it was."

"Why did you wait until now to apologize?" Jacqui asked.

"I was just waitin' until you cooled off before I said anything," Jax replied. "Honestly, I almost thought you'd continue not talking to me through today... I don't usually admit this, but... I would've been disappointed if you didn't at least say hi today. I got that at least."

Jax then stopped pacing once he was a couple of feet away from his daughter and faced her. "I have a lot of stories about my life to tell you someday. Some good, some unpleasant, especially during the last leg of my military days."

Jacqui frowned, knowing what her father meant by that last sentence. Just weeks before she was born, her father had been killed during the Outworld Invasion and was changed into a revenant to serve the Netherrealm. He was freed and brought back to life a few years later when she was in pre-school. She didn't remember much about his absence, but she did clearly remember his coming-home gathering as well as moving out to the farm not long afterwards.

Those were the only details Jacqui knew about what happened to him all those years ago. She wondered if she was ready to hear the finer details of what her father went through when the right time came.

"But for now, just know this," Jax continued. "I've seen some nasty things in my day, stuff that makes even the most hardened men squirm in fear. That's why I am the way I am. I'm protective of you _not_ because I don't trust you. I'm protective of you because I don't want anyone to try to harm you."

"But isn't that why I'm taking kickboxing classes?" Jacqui asked. "So I can protect myself?"

Jax sighed at that. "Yes... and that's because know I _can't_ protect you forever. But that's the future. We're talking about right _now_ , while you're still young and learning about the world around you. You have another year left before you start high school. The world is only going to get uglier the older you get... all the stories I plan to tell you someday are proof enough alone... like I said, I've seen things I can only hope you _never_ see in your lifetime."

"But why shield me from it?" Jacqui demanded. "I'm gonna have to face that uglier world sooner or later."

The older man frowned as he shook his head a little. "You've got a point there. I guess... I just want to shield you from it for as long as possible while you're still young."

"I know the world is not perfect, Dad," Jacqui mentioned. "And I think I understand better now why you want to protect me from it. But I also want some freedom, too. You and Mom taught me a lot of ways to keep myself safe. I'm always careful in my surroundings, even while working on the farm. And most important, I only hang out with the good kids like you both want me too. I won't get involved with the weird crowd, ever. I don't even like to hang out with people like that."

"...Except maybe Cassie."

"Daaaaad..." Jacqui groaned. "You only say that because she sometimes jokes around like Uncle Johnny does."

"I know, I was just kidding with you," he assured her with a small chuckle. "I of all people know Cassie's a good kid. But seriously, I wish you didn't call her Dad 'Uncle Johnny.'"

Jacqui shrugged. "I always thought it made sense since I call her Mom 'Aunt Sonya.'"

"I guess that's true." Jax then let out another sigh. "I can't make any promises, Jacqui, but... well, just be aware that it's not gonna be easy for me, even once you're an adult. I'll try to ease up a little, but you also need to understand why I'm being protective of you. I'd say that's a good, balanced compromise for both of us for right now as long as _we_ try to discuss any plans you have with your friends like adults. Okay?"

Jacqui nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Okay."

"Now then," Jax started, his mood perking a bit by the tone of his voice. "There's one thing I do need to know right now."

"And that is...?"

"...What do you have behind your back?"

Jacqui was confused for a moment, but then her dark eyes quickly widened as she suddenly remembered that she had his gift in her hands. "Oh!" she called out as she moved her hands, keeping the present within her right palm. "I almost forgot about this for a moment. It's for you, from... me and Mom."

Jax tilted his head a little as he reached over to take the small gift into his own hand. He turned it a couple of times to examine the green-wrapped object before shifted his eyes back to his daughter. "What's in it?" he asked.

Jacqui managed to smile. "You'll have to open it to find out. It's a surprise."

A small, light chuckle escaped his lips. "Now you _know_ I hate surprises..."

"And you know what Mom would say to that?" she replied while giving him a lopsided grin. "'Too bad.'"

"Yeah, she would say that," Jax laughed. "All right, you win. Let's open this up then, shall we?"

He tore through the wrapping paper before letting it drop onto the tool bench. Jacqui saw the gray-colored box that rested on top of her father's palm, and the older man proceeded to remove the top portion of the box before setting it down next to the torn paper.

Jacqui didn't miss how her father's eyes widened with surprise upon seeing his gift within the box. Reaching his free hand out, he pulled out a black digital sports watch. "You two _finally_ got me that wristwatch I've been needin' for a while," he said with good humor.

Jacqui laughed as she suddenly remembered something her mother said not too long ago. "Well, you _were_ driving Mom crazy for months without one after you accidentally dropped the last one through the wood chipper a while back," she mentioned. "But now you can finally keep track of time while working out here again."

"Especially since this is the kind that beeps and will alert me to what time it is, unlike the last one," Jax mentioned as he put the watch on over his left wrist. With his mechanical arms, the watch did have a bit of a snug feel to it even at it's largest fit, but it was something Jax was fine it. Not only did it assure him that the watch remained in its place (and _not_ get loose and fall into the wood chipper again), but it wasn't like it was going to cut his circulation off or anything.

Once the watched was securely in place, he took a moment to admire it before using his right arm to wrap it around Jacqui's shoulder to pull her into a hug. "This was just what I needed," he mentioned.

"I'm glad you like it," Jacqui said. She wrapped her left arm around her father's back to return the hug. "And I'm sure Mom would be glad, too. Happy Father's Day."

In response, Jax leaned his head down to kiss the top of his daughter's head. "Thank you, sweetheart."


	3. Kenshi & Takeda

_Los Angeles, California_

_Present Day_

"A lot of the past Father's Days I remember were pretty typical," Jacqui mentioned once she reached the end of the story. "They're mostly filled with gift giving, acknowledging the holiday, spending time doing chores around the farm, and a big dinner. Sometimes, my mom would cook, and sometimes we go to Dad's favorite restaurant. Like I mentioned before, he prefers to be modest. The point is, that particular year is the one that stands out to me the most even to this day because it was the first _real_ heart-to-heart we've ever had. It was the first time I felt... grown up."

By now, she, Takeda, and Cassie, were sitting outside the mall on a bench, deciding to take in the fresh air and do a little people watching before heading back home. Their bags of newly-purchased items sat by their feet. There was a light breeze blowing into their faces, and the three knew to enjoy it now. It wouldn't be long before the brutal heat of summer came along.

"I always try to remember that conversation," Jacqui continued. "But sometimes, it's hard to forget, especially in high school when he became even more overbearing when it comes to trying to protect me. I think it was always hard for him to adjust, too. You know the saying, 'old habits die hard.' I understand now that Dad's heart was in the right place and that he's afraid that what happened to him in the military all those years ago would happen to me. I just wish that he had loosened the rope a bit more, you know? Especially when it came to dating."

Cassie turned her head to her best friend. "There's something I need to ask, Jacqui... what was that earlier quip in the story about me being part of the 'wrong crowd' to Uncle Jax in your story?"

Jacqui laughed. "I _said_ he was kidding! Just like how I was kidding around that one time I said how I thought your Dad was h-"

"STOP IT!" Cassie yelled as she covered her ears with her hands. "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN!" That made Jacqui fall into a fit of giggles at her friend's reaction.

"Wait, what?" Takeda chimed in with confusion. "Care to tell me what that's about?"

"Nothing!" the girls quickly called out.

Cassie swiftly changed the subject before any more was said."How does your Dad feel about you two?" she asked Jacqui concerning her and Takeda.

"He wasn't thrilled at first... but that's only because Takeda accidentally let it slip that we were dating before we had the chance to prepare for it."

"Yeah, that was embarrassing," the young man grumbled.

"But he's starting to become okay with it... not like he can do much about it now that I'm an adult," Jacqui mentioned. "But I think what helps a lot is they both love to mess around with different techs and machinery, so they have that in common."

"It's true," Takeda added. "Just two days ago, we were visiting Jacqui's parents at the family farm, and Mr. Briggs and I were working on rebuilding a lawn mower he plans to sell once it's finished."

"Let me guess," started Cassie. "At one point he said something along the lines of, 'You break my daughter's heart, I'll break your face.'"

Takeda rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "...Something like that..."

"But other than that, I think he's warming up to the idea of us," Jacqui said. "It's kind of a first, to be honest."

"That sounds like a relief," Cassie replied. "And how does Kenshi-san feel about you two?"

"Not that we expected him to react like my Dad did," began Jacqui. "But when we told him, it took us by surprise with how elated he was over the news. I have a funny feeling he was hoping the two of us would get together after Takeda and I first met a while back."

"He even bought us a bottle of sake that night for Jacqui and I share," Takeda added. "So yeah, he was happy about it."

Cassie pursed her lips as she tilted her head in thought. "I think I have a small inkling as to why he reacted like that."

Takeda turned his head to her with curiosity. "And what is this small inkling?"

"Well, your Dad and my Mom were always close colleagues going as far back as before the Netherrealm War. My earliest memory of him was when I was about five or six years old when he stayed around this area for about a year. From what I understood later on from my Dad, he was 'laying low.'"

"Sounds like it was around the time after the undercover mission he was in went FUBAR," Takeda mentioned with a small sigh, knowing this was not long after his father took him into Shirai Ryu territory for his protection when he was a child.

"Yeah, I figured that was the case once I was old enough to understand," Cassie said. "But anyway, Kenshi came over to my parents' place one night the first time I met him. I still remember crawling all over him trying to take his bandana off his face. At that age, I thought it was silly because you think, 'why is wearing that over his eyes? Can't he see anything?' Of course, my Dad had to explain his blindness to me."

"That sounds like something you would do, Cass," Jacqui responded with a chuckle.

"Hey, I did feel bad about it after," Cassie pointed out. "Luckily, Kenshi laughed it off."

"It's happened to him a few times with kids over the years," Takeda mentioned.

"Did you try to do that when you met him that first time as a kid?" Jacqui asked curiously.

Takeda sighed at that. "No actually... but honestly, I knew he was blind before I even met him that first time, so I wasn't surprised by the blindfold. My Mom had told me plenty of things about him during those first eight years when I was living in Thailand." He turned back to Cassie. "Anyway, you were saying..."

"Oh yeah," Cassie continued. "Well, since your Dad isn't officially part of Special Forces, he only came around when my Mom needed him on a sensitive mission that required his skills, or as a general consultant. I'd say that happened every one to three years. But through most of my childhood and adolescence, especially during training during the latter years, I couldn't help but feel there was some... how do I put this... some gloom to him."

"What do you mean?" Takeda ended up asking.

Cassie attempted to explain it. "I mean, well... you're right about the humorous one-liners, I can vouch for you on that if no one ever believed it, especially in the later years. Now, I can't read people the way you can, Takeda, but I got that feeling about him during those down times in between missions and training. It's one of those thing you just kind of... feel, you know?"

"I think I get it," said Jacqui. "I think the word you're looking for in this case is 'intuition.'"

"Something like that," Cassie agreed. "Anyway, it wasn't until about four years ago when I realized that air of gloom was, for the most part... gone. He seemed a lot more relaxed, and... happier." It was her turn to gaze over at Takeda. "And honestly, I think it has a lot to do with your reunion with him. I only know the gist of your situation from what you've told me, but well..." She waved her hand at both Takeda and Jacqui. "If he's as happy about the two of you getting together as you said he was, I think it's because he may possibly feel that he's finally got some semblance of stability in his life. In this case, it's family. But seriously, don't take it from me. This is just my own observation."

Takeda frowned at that as he looked down at his feet. "Well, one thing's for sure... I _am_ the only blood-related family he has left..."

Before any more was said, Cassie's text alert suddenly went off. Pulling her phone out from her pocket, she checked the received message briefly before putting it back away.

"Welp, looks like Mom wants me to meet up with her in an hour," the young woman announced as she stood up from the bench.

"Early dinner, I assume," mentioned Jacqui. "It's not even three thirty yet."

"My guess is that she hasn't had lunch at all today," Cassie figured. "That should've clued me in when she mentioned wanting to go to _Claim Jumper_. You know how huge their dinner portions are."

"Not to mention their motherlode cake," Jacqui mentioned. "Say Cass, you wanna hang out one more time on Monday before we're back on duty?"

"Sure," Cassie replied. "Where do you want to hang out?"

Jacqui shrugged. "Not sure yet. I'll text you this weekend when I figure it out."

"Sounds cool. I'll see you two later."

"Later," Jacqui and Takeda said before Cassie began walking away and headed towards her car in the parking lot.

When Cassie was far enough, Jacqui turned her head and saw that her boyfriend was still looking down at his shoes. She reached a hand out to place on top of his, which was resting on his knee. "You okay?" she asked. "You seem distracted."

Taking a deep inhale, Takeda looked up as he leaned his back against the wooden bench they were sharing. He turned the palm of his hand up and let his fingers lace around Jacqui's, who returned the gesture. "I dunno," he began. "I just... Cassie's story made me realize something, I'm just... I dunno..."

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked.

Takeda was silent for a moment before he decided to speak again. "It's just, well... suddenly, I feel somewhat blinder than my Dad is. I mean... I know I'm justified with how I've felt about his absence after all these years. I've been able to get a good grip on the whole thing in recent years, and there have been things my Dad and I were able to talk about. There are still some things we need to talk about, but the wound's still healing, you know?"

Jacqui nodded to him. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Takeda took another breath before he proceeded. "These last five years, I've thought about how _I_ felt about losing my mother, how _I_ felt about those lost years, and how _I_ felt about him leaving me with the Shirai Ryu when I was eight years old. Until three minutes ago, I never stopped to really think about how _he_ felt about everything I just mentioned. I mean, sure, we've talked about the events, but my Dad never talked about how _he_ truly felt about it all."

The young man shook his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "I should've seen it the day of our reunion, but I so blinded by my rage in the moment. When he told me the truth about my mother's death, I did not hesitate to blame what happened to her on him to his face. And you know what he said? Nothing. He just... bowed his head and said nothing. That should've clued me in on how he felt then, but..."

Jacqui took that moment to gently squeeze his hand with hers in comfort. "You were understandably angry in that moment... and something tells me he knew that your mind was clouded, even without reading your thoughts."

Takeda slowly nodded. "Yeah... I think you're right. And you know... I think the one thing I always appreciated was that he let our reconciliation take its time on _my_ terms. He never tried to rush anything. Anytime there was a moment of relapse on my part, he remained quiet until I was done venting. Whenever I felt discouraged, he always tried to be encouraging with just simple words. And when I do accomplish something, he never hesitates to tell me how proud he is of me... which happened to be one of the first things he said to me the day of our reunion."

His eyebrows knitted at one other thought. "Say what you will about those lost years and his decision to leave me with the Shirai Ryu, but with everything I just mentioned and combine that with the fact that his decisions were all made with my safety and protection in mind... those few things alone make him a better father than some people can say about their own Dads through their entire lives. He could've chosen _not_ to care, but he did care, even when we were separated. Sure, he could've visited me, send me letters, but he didn't because something that simple meant endangering my well-being..."

There was one other thing he left out, something that he wasn't exactly ready to discuss with Jacqui yet. On the same day of their reunion, Kenshi had promised Takeda that once his training was completed, and they got the information they needed to proceed, they would hunt down the Red Dragon to find his mother's killer _together_. That gesture from his father was one Takeda always appreciated from that moment, and he'd like to think that this was what began his reconciliation, albeit a slow one. Kenshi could've gone after the Red Dragon and taken care of them himself all these years. Instead, he waited until his son was older and ready to journey with him to avenge his mother's death.

"Don't get me wrong," Takeda said. "It's not all perfect just because things are better now. I just wish the circumstances were different, you know?"

Jacqui nodded once he was finished. "I think I can understand," she said. "I mean... your situation and mine are clearly different, but it seems to have the same theme... growing up, you don't appreciate the sacrifices your fathers make, at least until we're old enough to get a better understanding on _why_ they made the decisions they've made. I think the Dads with good intentions do what can to keep their children from harm, even if it means their children will be angry with them for a while."

Jacqui shook her head a little as she smiled. "Not every Dad can be like Mr. Cage."

"No they can't," Takeda agreed. "Though maaaaybe that might be a blessing in disguise. I don't think I can handle things like fart jokes all the time."

His girlfriend chuckled at that. "Yeah, Cassie did mention today that they drive her crazy. And the worst part is that it _never_ stops, even when you try to be serious with him. Like one time during training, I told him, 'No jokes, let's do it.' And he just _had_ to respond with, 'That's what she said.'" She ended that sentence with a roll of her eyes.

That made Takeda laugh. "That sounds like something he would say."

"At least with my Dad, he has a way of throwing you off with his jokes," Jacqui said. "And that's because they're rare and you don't expect them."

"Yeah, my Dad can have some pretty good dry wits... like one time, Mr. Cage asked him during training if he liked any of his films. My Dad didn't saying anything at first, but then he looked straight at him... the best he could of course, and simply said, 'Blindness has its benefits.'"

"Oh, _burn!_ " Jacqui laughed. "My Dad would've straight up told him his movies were shit... and it wouldn't be the first time, either."

"You think Cassie would be defending her Dad right now if he was hearing this conversation?" the young man wondered.

"All she would say is 'haters gonna hate.'"

"Ah, too bad," Takeda said. "I would've loved to have debated with her over the inaccuracy of those stealth missions in _Ninja Mime_."

Jacqui's eyes widened at that. "You've _seen_ Ninja Mime?"

"Only the first forty minutes of it," Takeda mentioned. "A lot of us agreed that it was forty minutes _too_ long. We used to have movie nights when I was training with the Shirai Ryu and someone had brought over an imported copy of _Ninja Mime_ one night. After those forty minutes, Master Hasashi ended up burning the DVD to ash and declared the movie banned from Shirai Ryu grounds for life for it's 'inaccurate portrayal and mockery of the art of ninjitsu.' Needless to say, the movie profoundly offended him."

Jacqui burst into more laughter over that. "Why am I not surprised by that?"

It did take her a moment to get her bearings back, but nevertheless, Takeda smiled to himself, loving her laugh. At one point, he moved his arm so that it was around her shoulders, and she responded by resting the side of her head on his shoulder.

There was a long silence that lingered afterwards as the couple found themselves in their own thoughts while watching the people in front of them come and leave the mall. Gazing up towards the sky, Takeda saw a few scattered clouds starting to roll in from the distance. The sun was still high up, but it was just beginning to make its slow descent towards the horizon in the west. Considering how close summer was and how much more sunlight would remain around this time of year, he realized that there was still plenty of time left to enjoy the day before nighttime came along.

"Say," Takeda suddenly started. "You think you might have time to go down to Little Tokyo with me?"

Jacqui raised her head to gaze up at him. "I think so. Why?"

"Well... there's a little sushi place there I wanted to try that Kung Jin recommended to me a while back. I thought we could have dinner there. But before we do that, there's a market I remember seeing the last time I was there that sold imported items... authentic stuff, I mean. I figured we could stop there while there's... still another two days left..."

Jacqui didn't say anything right away, but she did end up smiling at her boyfriend as she realized what he had in mind...

\---

_Two Days Later..._

For as long as he could remember, Takeda was an early riser who would wake up just after the crack of dawn. He barely remembered a time when he used to sleep in an extra hour or two whenever he was home from school on the weekends back when he was living in Thailand. His days training with the Shirai Ryu found himself waking up at the same time everyday as part of the clan's daily routine, and it was a habit he hasn't broken yet.

His father, the blind swordsman Kenshi Takahashi, was the same way when it came to mornings. Depending on whether or not Special Forces needed them that day, mornings were the same, consisting of training and meditation before enjoying a light breakfast. Takeda had expected today to start the way it usually did.

In the training room at the Special Forces base where they were both currently staying, Takeda was surprised to see his father kneeling down on the floor, his hands resting on his knees and his head bowed, clearly meditating. His ancestral sword laid in its red scabbard next to him just within reach. At first, Takeda wasn't sure whether or not he should disrupt him. Perhaps maybe he would join his father next to him an do the same?

"There you are," Kenshi suddenly greeted, almost startling his son. The young man could've sworn there there was a hint of a smirk on his father's face in response, but he chose to ignore it just in case he was just seeing things.

Takeda inhaled lightly to calm himself. "Hey," he replied. "You're meditating kind of early this morning, aren't you? Or maybe I just came here later than I thought."

Kenshi didn't say anything right away. Instead, he extended one arm out in front of him, and Takeda took it as a gesture to join his Dad. The young man walked a few feet forward before he sat down in the same position his father was in at the moment, only he didn't bother to close his eyes.

"I admit, I've had a lot on my mind the last couple of days," the swordsman admitted once his son was settled.

"You want to me to analyze it with a mind-reading session?" Takeda asked.

Kenshi shook his head. "That won't be necessary, son," he assured him. "But I did want to ask you something. It's... a huge part of what's been on my mind."

That made Takeda tilt his head to the side a little in reply. In the five years since their reunion, Kenshi very rarely ever asked of anything from Takeda, especially since whatever this was about, it was possibly something important by the way he conveyed his words just now.

Before that, however, Takeda decided to mention something. "That reminds me... I wanted to talk to you about something, too." He chuckled a little at the irony of his next words. "It's actually been on my mind for a couple of days as well."

"Oh?" Kenshi uttered with interest.

"But you started this," Takeda mentioned. "So you can go first."

"No, I'll let you go first," Kenshi encouraged.

Takeda almost wanted to argue about it, but decided that he was still feeling a bit tired after waking up not too long ago. Before he spoke, he adjusted his knees a bit to get more comfortable, having a feeling that this conversation was going to take a little time.

"I had an interesting conversation with Cassie the other day," Takeda began. "She brought up some childhood memories about you, like the time she tried to take off your blindfold when he was about five or six years old."

Kenshi chuckled a little at that, recalling the long-ago memory. "Well, she wasn't the first to do that, and she certainly isn't the last."

"I knew that," Takeda mentioned. He then proceeded. "Well anyway, she didn't go into details, but she mentioned how she always had this feeling that you always seemed a bit down whenever you were around through the years. I don't think it was something you conveyed intentionally, but..."

"I assume it was an intuition she had," Kenshi guessed.

Takeda nodded. "Yeah, that's what Jacqui figured. Cassie did notice during the last four years that you've been... better. I don't mean to make it sound like it was a bad thing, but-"

"I know what you mean," Kenshi cut in. "The interesting part about this is that Cassie's right... I did become happier in the last five years. The fact that it was not long after our reunion is not a coincidence."

Takeda frowned at this. "I realize that now," he admitted. "The reason I even brought it up is because I realized, after all this time, I've been so focused on how _I've_ felt all these years and never stopped to think about how _you've_ felt through all of this." Feeling some vexation, he shut his eyes closed as he lightly clenched his fists. "I should've considered your feelings after all this time... instead, I was too focused on myself..."

Kenshi frowned as he bowed his head more. "You don't need to feel guilty, Takeda," he said a bit quietly. "You had no control over everything that was happening around you, especially at such a young age. And besides, as far as I'm concerned, you have every right to how you feel about this. This whole thing with the Red Dragon and your mother's death... out of everyone involved, it was _you_ who was hurt by this."

Takeda gazed up at his father upon hearing that last statement. In the next few moments of pause, the young man did something he'd never done before; he reached a hand out to let it rest on his father's shoulder, the same way the older man did for him for the last five years. "You're right about the whole thing hurting me," Takeda said with a hint of sympathy. "But I don't need to read your mind to know now that I'm not the only one who was hurt by what the Red Dragon has done... to _both_ of us."

The older man didn't saying anything in response, but he did pull his head up to face his son. Even with the crimson blindfold over his eyes, it almost felt as though he was staring right at the younger man. At any other time, it would have somewhat unsettled the Takeda. Right now, however, he was okay with it.

"You don't have to talk about it today," Takeda continued. "I mean... there's still other things for us to discuss anyway. But I just wanted to say how sorry I am for never considering what you've been through. I appreciate that you've let me convey what I've been feeling as well as letting me vent when I needed to without interrupting... but whenever you feel that you're ready, Dad, you can do the same... and I'll listen."

In reply, Kenshi reached a hand up to let it rest on his son's forearm. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "I know I've said this to you before, but... if there was a way for me to get back those lost years..."

"I know," Takeda said. "And I wish there was a way, too. But I'll tell you something I learned during my training; we can't dwell in the past. We can only move forward and look to the future."

A small smile came over Kenshi's face. "I've always said that Master Hasashi taught you well."

Takeda smiled back. "If it helps hearing it from me, Dad... you made the right decision to bring me to the Shirai Ryu all those years ago. Not only am I alive, but I wouldn't had learned what I know now if you hadn't."

Kenshi patted his son's arm, his silent way of conveying his appreciation to Takeda's words. "You know I would've taught you what I know like I am now if the option for you to stay with me was there when you were young."

"Yeah," Takeda agreed. "But you have to admit, my whips are pretty awesome."

That got a small laugh out of the older man. "That is true."

"Hey, I did learn to use a sword, didn't I?" Takeda quipped.

"That you did," Kenshi said.

The young man decided then to move forward as he removed his hand from his father's shoulder. "All right, it's your turn. You said that you had something to ask me?"

Kenshi sighed a little. "Suddenly, our talk makes me wonder whether or not now's a good time to bring this up."

Takeda tiled his head in a bit of confusion. "What do you mean?"

Kenshi reached to his left to grab for his sword. Lifting it off the ground, he moved a bit until he rested it on top of his legs, gripping the weapon with both hands. Takeda had known for quite some time that this was a way for his father to give himself some comfort, his sword acting as his anchor. As the young man suspected, whatever his father was about to ask him was definitely important.

"Things have been quiet since Shinnok's been defeated," Kenshi began. "And General Blade believes it'll stay that way for a while. I was thinking this would be a good time for me to return to Japan."

That news surprised Takeda as his eyes widened a bit. "It's been a while since you've been back there," he said about his father's home land. "How long will you be there?"

"It's just for the summer," Kenshi mentioned. "I found a little cabin in the country by a river to rent for that time period. It's a good place to continue with training and meditation for someone like me."

The swordsman tilted his head down a bit before he said what was on his mind. "The cabin... it has an extra bedroom. I'm pretty sure it won't be used during my time there... unless..."

Takeda realized exactly what his father was implying. "You... want me to come with you?"

Kenshi slowly nodded his head as he turned his head up again. "No pressure, of course. I won't be leaving for another two weeks anyway, so if you need to take the time to decide, you can."

There was a long pause between them as Takeda's mind was filled with what felt like a million thoughts. He remembered a time, five years ago, when he was reluctant to go with his father to continue his training, but he went if only to please Master Hasashi then. Though the young man's situation had been explained to him since the day of the reunion, there were times in those first couple of years when he would forget that in his blinding anger.

The main thing Takeda had been mad about after the reunion was the fact that he had not been told right away about the nature of his mother's death. Even to this day, Takeda could only weigh in on whether or not knowing the truth would've been better... but then he would remember his father's reason.

_'You would have gone after your mother's killer unprepared,'_ Kenshi had said to him the day of their reunion. _'I couldn't risk it.'_

It was that statement that first cleared the clouded anger that formed in Takeda's head that day. He realized in that moment what his father was trying to do for him all this time... and worse, the older man was correct in his assumption. Takeda had made impulsive decisions in the past based on his emotions rather than thinking through what he was doing while under Master Hasashi's tutelage. It once almost got him killed.

It was only the last couple of years that this relationship with his father had mended the wounds that were left behind. The more they talked and more time they spent together, the easier it was for Takeda to heal.

As for his father's offer... well... Takeda initially thought his summer would be send on whatever missions Special Forces had for him as long as his services were still needed. However, if things were as quiet as Kenshi said they were, then perhaps maybe those missions would be few and far between.

It would, however, be a good time for him spend some time with Jacqui. Then again, he can already imagine her encouraging him to go to Japan with his father. _'It would be a great opportunity for the two of you to spend more time together,'_ he heard her voice say in his head. _'Besides, it's only for the summer.'_

"I'd ask you to bring Jacqui along," Kenshi suddenly said. "But I don't think her father would be too pleased with that suggestion just yet, even with my presence there."

Takeda smirked at him. "Did you just read my mind?" he asked suspiciously, but with some humor.

Kenshi gave him a bemused smirk. "I have no idea what you're talking about, son."

"Ugh, never mind," Takeda grumbled with a wave of his hand, making his father chuckle. The young man dropped his smile then. "You really want me to go to Japan with you this summer?"

"Only if you want to. Like I said, I'm not pushing you to go, but the offer's on the table. If you can take it or leave it, whatever you choose."

Takeda thought a little more about it then. It wasn't like he hadn't spend enough time with his father over the last five years. Most of their time had been spend at the bases belonging to Special Forces. This would be the first time in a long while they would have a place to themselves, and for the whole summer. The cabin would perhaps be the perfect place for them to train uninterrupted in preparation of finally taking down the Red Dragon for good and avenge his mother's death.

And maybe perhaps this would be a way for them to talk more about the things they've yet to discuss in between training.

Finally, Takeda nodded to his father. "Okay... that sounds good. I'll go with you."

Kenshi gently placed a hand on Takeda's shoulder in reply. "That's... I didn't expect you to..."

"Accept?" Takeda finished for him.

The older man nodded. "Yeah. I... I know I've told you before that you're not obligated to acknowledge Father's Day, but... I have to say that you accepting my my offer, well... the only thing I can say that it's quite a gift to receive of all days..."

It was Takeda's turn to pat his father's forearm. "In that case... Happy Father's Day, Dad."

Kenshi could only smile in response, feeling overwhelmed and too lost for words to say anything back. One thing was for sure, however... Kenshi and Takeda had come a long way in their reconciliation since their reunion...

\---

Later that evening in his room on base, Takeda sat at the foot of his bed, his hands on top of the chest where he usually kept his clothing. In between his hands was a squared white box, and inside it was the item he brought in Little Tokyo with Jacqui two days ago...

Removing the top of the box and setting it aside, Takeda pushed away the white tissue paper that wrapped around the object inside. Once he did, he got a good look at what was intended to be his Father's Day gift for his Dad; a half-kabuto mask painted as red as his father's blindfold and bearing demonic teeth painted white. Takeda remembered his father mentioning wanting to own such a mask sometime ago... and it was only two days ago he knew that now was a good time to fulfill that wish for him.

Initially, Takeda planned to give his gift to his father tonight. However, after Kenshi mentioned that he considered his son's acceptance to go to Japan with him his Father's Day gift, Takeda made the decision to hold off on giving him the mask... at least until Kenshi's birthday, which would fall around the time they would be in Japan.

Takeda knew that it would be a long time before both he or his father would heal from the past. Even if they did avenge his mother's death, it still wouldn't bring her back nor bring back those lost years they were robbed of. It was clear that father and son longed to put the darkness of the past behind them and move forward. Those years long past could not be undone, but they both can be grateful that they still had many years left to look forward to together...

And in that moment of thought, Takeda suddenly realized with wide eyes that even though Kenshi told him that he was not obligated to acknowledge Father's Day, it turned out that Takeda _had_ been giving him his gift each year all this time, one that no words nor a kabuto mask could convey. It was always somewhat in the back of his mind from reading his father's thoughts in the past, but Takeda never truly acknowledged it until now.

Simply being there by his side... that was the only Father's Day gift Kenshi needed.

 

**The End**


End file.
